


Make the Season Bright

by LaDiDah



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Christmas, M/M, babyonedirection, fluffdirection, hlwinterfest, hlwinterfest2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 08:26:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13003782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaDiDah/pseuds/LaDiDah
Summary: A look at Harry and Louis' first Christmas together





	Make the Season Bright

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alittlelove](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alittlelove/gifts).



> I hope my giftee likes this fic - Happy Christmas! xx
> 
> Thank you to Tabitha for the beta-ing and cheerleading! xx

 

‘I hate to break it to you love,’ Anne began, folding the tea towel neatly over the handrail. ‘But you aren’t the first person to ever fall in love’

Harry looked highly skeptical. ‘No-one else has ever felt like I have,’ he declared, before flouncing off upstairs.

Anne sighed before giggling to herself. She picked up her phone, and carefully typed out a text.

_‘H has no idea, completely clueless’._

It beeped before she even set it down.

 ' _L is being a right diva, I can’t wait till tomorrow!’_

_‘Me too! Xxx’_

 

Harry stomped so loudly on the landing that it drew Gemma out of her room, dark eyeliner lining just one eye.

‘What are you pouting about?’ she huffed, ‘I can barely hear Made in Chelsea’.

‘Mum said I can’t go visit Louis,’ Harry said, frowning so pitifully even Gemma felt for him, dragging him into her room and depositing him on her bed before pausing the TV and passing him a snickers bar.

‘Thanks,’ Harry said moodily, ‘but I can’t eat anything, I miss Louis too much’.

‘How come you can’t go?’ Gemma asked, taking back the snickers and tearing it open.

‘Mum said she talked to Louis’ Mum and they said it’s just a quiet family Christmas this year; and that Nan would miss us if we didn’t come for Christmas’. Harry sighed as if the weight of the world was upon his shoulders. As he was sixteen and hopelessly in love, Gemma figured it probably was.

‘Quiet?’ Gemma scoffed. ‘The Tommo lot are not quiet, I still can’t hear in this ear after Phoebe decided to jump out and scare me in that hotel corridor.’

Harry just shrugged. ‘Whatever. Christmas is ruined’.

 

‘Louis William Tomlinson! Christmas is not ruined, how dare you say that?’ Jay folded her arms and stared him down. ‘I spent hours decorating the house, working overtime to buy presents, making those cookies you like - and this is what I get?’

‘Sorry Mum,’ Louis said, fiddling with his hands. ‘I just…’

‘Wanted to see your boy, I get it’. Jay relented, sitting down with a sigh. ‘I was young once.’

Louis mimed looking shocked and she elbowed him. ‘Quiet you. I still remember my first love.  David Klein. We met at a party, he was dressed as an elf, weird red tights. We couldn’t stop talking, talked the whole night through. We ended up seeing each other every day, we even brought silly plastic rings and pretended we were married’. Jay trailed off, lost in her own thoughts.

‘And!’ Louis questioned eagerly.

Jay smiled, brushing his fringe out of his eyes. ‘I thought it would last forever. But, things change. He ended up having to change jobs and that meant a move, it got harder to see each other. Promises slowly got broken and it just fizzled out’.

Louis looked down at his feet. ‘Are you saying that will happen to Harry and me?’

‘No, darling.’ Jay draped an arm over him, tugging him closer. Then she paused, ‘I can’t see into the future Lou, but I know you, and I’ve gotten to know Harry and I think you have as good a chance as anyone’.

‘And yet you still won’t let him come over for Christmas,’ Louis pouted.

‘I just want one more family Christmas before you go off, travelling the world being a famous popstar. I may never see you again,’ she teased, miming wiping away tears.

‘That won’t happen,’ Louis rolled his eyes, ‘it’s just the X Factor tour.’

‘You are made out of starlight,’ Jay smiled, kissing the top of his head. ‘You will be travelling the world someday, I just know it’.

Louis leaned into her, closing his eyes.

 

Harry looked out the window, a haze of dark clouds making it hard to see anything apart from shadows of light from passing cars. He didn’t think it would be so hard to be apart from Louis, they had phones after all, and could call and text. But it had been unbearable, sure he could call Louis and hear his voice, but he couldn’t reach out and hold him, wordlessly ask for a cuddle when he was tired or kiss him. God, he missed kissing him. He missed kissing him first thing in the morning, laughing as Louis tried to prise his mouth open, ignoring Harry’s protests about morning breath. Their kisses throughout the day, snuck in cupboards and behind doors; jumping apart when someone came near. Louis would sometimes kiss him to sleep, holding him against his chest and placing kiss after kiss to his mouth as he slowly dropped off.

Harry suspected everyone knew about him and Louis anyway, they weren’t particularly subtle and their X Factor housemates either didn’t care or cooed over them. In a way they had been protected by all of that, living a life of rehearsals building up to performances; but always together. After the show ended they just clung to each other, unsure of what was going to happen next. Louis had promised him they would still be together, not just as a couple but as the band; but he wasn’t as confident.

Harry squinted out of the window, raising a hand to wipe away the condensation. ‘Mum, where are we? Taking ages.’ he complained, looking over at Gemma who was fast asleep.

‘Roadworks, going a new route’.

‘Want me to text Nan?’

Anne glanced back at him in the wing mirror. ‘No,’ she said quickly, ‘it’s all fine.’

Harry nodded and popped an earbud in, deciding to join Gemma in a nap.

 

The car stopped with a jolt, and Harry slouched forwards, causing the earbud to fall out of his ear. He rolled his eyes, was anything going to go right?

‘We’re here sleepyheads!’ Anne cried, undoing her seatbelt and beaming at them. Gemma was mumbling and wiping her eyes.

‘What is going on?’ Harry said, peering out of the window. He could see a normal semi-detached house, not his Nan’s cottage where their dog Elsie would always run out and charge at the car door.

He looked at Gemma who just smiled at him. ‘What’s going on?’ he asked grumpily, ‘you two are being weird’.

Harry looked out again, seeing a blonde head appear at the window then duck down again quickly.

‘Happy Christmas Harry,’ Anne said with a flourish.

 

‘Can’t someone else get the door?’ Louis complained, as the doorbell rang for the 15th time. It’s not like there are lots of people living here or anything,’ he continued, rolling his eyes.

‘I’m coming’ he shouted as the doorbell kept going. This person was really getting on his nerves. It better not be Lottie ordering a pizza just to see the cute delivery guy again; or the twins pranking him. He had been fooled many times into paying for pizza just so Lottie could see Tommy; or the twins could throw water balloons at him. The perils of being the eldest.

He opened the door and was completely unprepared for the beautiful dimpled smile that met him. Harry.

‘Louis!’ Harry cried, flinging himself over the step, catching his toe and falling on Louis. ‘Oh my god’ he laughed, ‘it’s you! I didn’t know!’ Harry kept laughing and clutching him tighter, his happiness echoing down the street.

Louis felt his eyes well up, he couldn’t speak.

‘Did you miss me too much, came to seek me out?’ he teased, voice raw and obvious.

‘Just a little,’ Harry relented, kissing his nose and looking up at him with such wonder it made Louis feel golden.

The car horn blared out, making them both jump.

Gemma was laughing and pointing at them both. ‘See you tomorrow H,’ she said, joining Anne in waving them goodbye.

‘I can’t believe they fooled me,’ Harry said, pulling his suitcase into the hallway.

Louis could believe they had fooled him. He had once believed that Liam had only one kidney and that's why he wouldn’t join in with ordering shots.

‘I can’t believe I get to be here for your birthday,’ Harry beamed, turning to face Louis again and reaching out to join their hands together. ‘I’m so excited!’

He looked so lovely in his fluffy white scarf, dark curls brushing against his collar. It made Louis want to hold him close until they were prised apart.

A loud thump on the landing made them look up.

‘Can we come down now?’ said a whispered voice.

‘Shush, it’s a secret still’ another replied.

‘Dur, it’s not, he’s here now.’

‘Shush, you’re ruining it’.

‘No - you are!’

Louis cleared his throat.

‘I think they heard us’.

Two blonde heads appeared over the railing.

‘Harry!’ they cried, tumbling down the stairs in their eagerness to get to him. They sheepishly looked at Louis, who tried to look stern.

Harry opened his arms and the girls fell into him, nearly knocking him over.

‘Steady on,’ Louis rolled his eyes, ‘he’s just got here’.

‘Quiet Lou!’ Harry protested, ‘it’s my favourite Tommo girls!’.

‘We heard that’ said a voice coming from the kitchen.

Harry mouthed Oops.

After two rounds of hot chocolate and a few arguments, the girls had finally agreed to leave Harry alone and had relented to going out for a walk in the snow. They had to be bribed with money for doughnuts and Lottie had promised to tire them out in the park.

‘Where’s your Mum?’ Harry asked, settling down on the couch next to Louis and curling into his side with a kittenish yawn. The daylight was dimming and the room was cast in shadows, the twinkling lights on the Christmas tree providing them with enough light to see. Jay’s Christmas candles were lined up on the mantelpiece, but neither boy could be bothered to get up to light them.

‘She’s at work, back at 5ish,’ Louis replied, mirroring Harry’s yawn with one of his own.

‘All alone, house to ourselves...you know what that means…’ Harry waggled his eyebrows and placed his hand on Louis’ thigh.

Louis felt a rush of heat in his stomach. They hadn’t managed to get much further than a sneaky bum grab in the kitchen. To be given the chance to touch Harry properly, to feel his skin and hear his sounds - was beyond comprehension.

‘We can make dinner for everyone!’ Harry leapt to his feet and danced his way to the kitchen humming jingle bell rock.

Louis counted to ten in his head before getting up to join him.

 

It was nearly half six and Louis had been unsuccessful in trying to pry away his Mum from Harry. Jay and Harry had collapsed on each other like long lost family and had retreated to the kitchen, closing the door behind them when Louis tried to enter. Everytime he tried to go in and join them, Mum had told him to go and ‘hang out with your sisters on your birthday.’ He feared she had got out the baby photos.

He had tried sulking for a bit, but Felicite had only laughed at him before joining him in watching Love Actually. Every so often he could hear a peal of laughter or the delicious smell of casserole coming from the kitchen, and he had a crick in his neck from turning around so often.

‘Dinner is ready!’ Jay shouted, opening the door in a plume of heat. Little feet came stamping down the stairs and in what felt like seconds, everyone was at the dining table oohing over the food.

‘Can Harry stay forever?’ Phoebe asked, eyes pleading at her Mum and taking a large bite of her food.

‘You’ll have to ask Louis’ Lottie said mischievously.

Harry’s cheeks turned pink and he coughed before offering the green beans to Daisy.

‘Shush my little angels,’ Jay began, lifting up her wine glass, ‘I want to propose a toast. 18 years ago on a cold winter’s night - my little boo bear came into this world’.

Louis groaned, ‘Mum!’

‘It was the best Christmas present ever. He was 6 pounds, 4 ounces and was the most beautiful baby ever. He’s been my best friend ever since,’ Jay continued, eyes filling with tears. ‘So Happy Birthday!’

Everyone echoed her refrain and clinked their glasses, Daisy sneaking a yorkshire pudding into her mouth and just gesturing to her glass.

The dinner was delicious, but Louis was happiest once it was all over and it was back to just him and Harry on the sofa, everyone else asleep or in their room and Jay washing up. He knew Harry was leaving tomorrow and their time was limited; he wanted to soak up every second.

‘This has been the best birthday ever,’ Louis yawned, kicking out a foot and hooking it around Harry’s.

Harry snuggled closer, rubbing his cheek against Louis’ tshirt.

‘Even better than when you got that doll that wet itself?’

‘How did you know about that?’

‘Your Mum,’ Harry admitted, ‘she also mentioned you called the doll Buttercup-’

‘My _daughter_ ,’ Louis interrupted, ‘was called Buttercup yes’.

Harry giggled, his warm breath tickling Louis’ collarbone.

‘I wish I could stay longer,’ Harry said, his words hushed.

‘You could…’

‘I really can’t, Mum will be too sad. Besides, we’ll be back together soon enough.’

‘You’ll get sick of me, seeing me everyday during the tour’.

‘Never!’ Harry declared.

‘Once you know all my bad habits,’ Louis teased, leaning forwards and snagging a chocolate truffle, he broke it in half and offered the other half to Harry.

Harry took the chocolate and tossed it into his mouth, trying to speak around the chocolate.

‘I know all your bad habits,’ he rolled his eyes, ‘your feet always smell awful because you don’t wear socks,’ he ticked off his points with his fingers, ‘you call your Mum about 20 times a day, you wind up Liam constantly until he comes moaning to me asking for me to get involved so you’ll stop’.

Louis looked proud at that, before schooling his face into an innocent expression.

‘I think I know what I’m getting into,’ Harry shrugged, wiping the leftover chocolate from his mouth. ‘Being with you every day will be fun, and even if the band doesn’t go any further, being on tour will be amazing’.

Louis loved his optimism, his faith that everything will be okay.

‘What are you doing after the tour?’ Harry asked, avoiding his eyes and fussing with his socks.

‘After the tour?’

‘Like, what are your plans?’

‘I don’t know,’ Louis said, confused. ‘I’m sick of exams, I might get a job or take a gap year or something. Haven’t really thought about it’.

‘I might go to Uni, after A levels I mean,’ Harry said, ‘but if the band works out...maybe we could like-’

He paused and Louis made a face, ‘go on…’

‘Live together?’ Harry bit out, looking worried.

‘You would want to live with me?’

Harry nodded, ‘Yes, very much’.

‘Okay,’ Louis said, adrenaline rushing round his body and making him feel like he could fly. ‘If the band works out, we could look into getting a flat or something?’

Harry looked like he could barely contain himself, so Louis kissed him. After a moment he drew back, squinting.

Harry suddenly started to laugh, making Louis’ body shake.

‘What?’

‘Look up, little elves have been busy,’ Harry said, shuffling so he could sit up.

Louis looked up and raised a brow upon seeing a sprig of mistletoe, tied up with a ribbon that looked suspiciously like the one tied round Barbie’s hair earlier.

‘It is tradition,’ Louis said slowly. Harry looked skeptical with all the coyness he could muster.

'I guess we shouldn’t mess with tradition,’ he said lowly, bringing their mouths together.

They kissed for what felt like hours, with Harry slowly moving onto Louis’ lap, Louis’ hands clutching at his hip chub poking out of his jeans. Harry hated them, but they were Louis’ favourite and he had sworn vengeance if Harry ever exercised them away.

‘We...should stop,’ Harry breathed, eyes dark and cheeks bright pink.

‘Yeah.’ Louis pressed a kiss to Harry’s neck, digging his teeth in when Harry started to move against him.

‘Louis, you aren’t helping,’ Harry whined, leaning down and licking into Louis’ mouth.

‘I’ve got the most beautiful boy in the world on my lap,’ Louis protested when they next broke for air, ‘I don’t want to help’.

Harry flushed and leaned their foreheads together.

‘Are we crazy to feel like this?’ he asked, his voice hoarse.

Louis leaned back on the cushions so he could peer up into Harry’s face. Harry looked apprehensive, his plush bottom lip caught between his teeth.

‘You're only 16,’ Louis began. Harry shook his head.

‘I know how I feel, who cares that I’m 16?’

‘What do you mean then?’

‘I feel so much,’ Harry said, voice small. ‘I feel so much for you and it’s scary’.

Louis knew what he meant. Being in love was wonderful, it was singing in the shower, daydreaming about weddings and houses and babies; but it was also terrifying. Being so vulnerable with someone else, who could destroy you at any moment. It was a level of trust that he didn’t feel ready for, but at the same time, couldn’t bear to let Harry down.

‘It is scary,’ Louis began, pressing a kiss to Harry’s nose, smiling as Harry scrunched it adorably.

‘You know I’ve had a couple of boyfriends’. Harry’s face changed and Louis tried not to laugh at his boyfriend’s petulant expression. ‘But that was just messing around, baby crushes. How I feel about you…’ he tailed off, not knowing what to say.

‘We’re going to be together forever aren’t we?’ Harry whispered.

 

 

‘Shush!’ Harry begged the small, black puppy. The puppy looked up at him, tongue lolling out and tilted its shaggy head.

‘I can’t stay mad at you,’ Harry sighed, tickling the puppy’s tummy. ‘But Louis will find you out here if you keep barking! Just a few more hours and you can come inside’.

The garage was usually ice cold, Louis always whined when he had to go and fetch something from the car, dancing from foot to foot and scowling; but since the puppy was staying there for the day Harry had purchased some fan heaters which were doing a good job of warming the space. He also had left the radio on, so the dog wouldn’t feel so alone.

The puppy looked sad as Harry got to his feet. ‘I have to go,’ Harry said mournfully, ‘I haven’t made his birthday cake or wrapped his gift yet.’ Harry leaned on the wall, crossing his ankles. ‘You are too damn cute,’ he mused, ‘I wonder if Lou will give into you as easily as he gives into me’. Harry trailed off before leaning down and giving the puppy once last head rub. ‘I’ll teach you all my tricks,’ he promised, turning and closing the door behind him.

Once the last present was wrapped, one of them was technically for Harry to wear but it was a gift for Louis, Harry sat and waited for Louis to return home, barely able to sit still. The London house was quiet, being on break was proving to be quite a shock to the system. He still found himself turning around for Niall and Liam all the time, and although he was excited to start on his own album next year, it was starting to feel very real and scary.

The front door clicked open and Harry stood up abruptly, twisting his hands in front of his body.

‘Louis!’ he shouted, rushing forwards and throwing himself at his husband. ‘Happy Birthday Lou!’

Louis laughed, eyes crinkling as he tucked himself under Harry’s chin. ‘Hi sweetheart. You are so warm,’ he said, voice soft and gentle as it usually was with Harry.

‘How are the Tommo tribe?’ Harry asked, pulling Louis over to the couch and sitting on his lap. It was a little trickier than it was back in the day, Harry’s long legs dangling over Louis’ and his curls hanging over Louis’ face but they managed.

‘They miss you,’ Louis grumbled, ‘more fussed about you than me. Dory nearly cried when I said you had to stay here to finish up some Christmas jobs. They want to replace me’.

Harry scoffed, ‘As if, they adore their big brother’.

‘They should, I spent a fortune on Felicite’s gap year,’ Louis laughed, ‘all for her to ask you to call her because she has love life issues,’ he rolled his eyes.

Harry had spent a good hour on the phone to Felicite yesterday and had drawn up a powerpoint, but didn’t feel it was the right moment to tell Louis. It had taken Louis a good two years to come around to Lottie and Tommy. The other month Daisy had asked if she could meet Liam’s new backing dancer and he had thrown a fit, he seemed to still think they were babies. Harry rolled his eyes along with the girls, but secretly he found it so endearing.

‘I love the balloons Haz,’ Louis smiled, looking around at the decorated room and admiring the banner. ‘Can’t believe how quick time is going. It feels like just yesterday I was at Mum’s opening your gift you wrapped yourself with that little bow’. His eyes narrowed and he slowly drew a hand down Harry’s back towards his bum. ‘Talking of presents - can I unwrap my present now…?’

Harry’s eyes widened and he jumped up, unable to get free when Louis refused to let him go, tugging him closer.

‘Haha, not yet,’ he said, raising his voice as he thought he heard a lonely bark coming from outside.

Louis looked at him strangely, not used to having his advances turned down, ‘What’s up with you, jumpy?’

‘Nothing!’

‘I’ve known you for too long, something is up’.

Harry was trying to listen for the puppy so he barely heard Louis. ‘No, just excited, your birthday, Christmas. Fun times ahead’. He was now almost dancing with Louis’ arms around his hips, trying to get rid of his nervous energy.

‘Mmm.’ Louis hummed, ‘If you say so. Now, cause it’s my birthday I want to catch up with the football - and you can’t try and change the channel or try to distract me’.

Harry pulled a ‘would I ever’ face before giggling and going to put the candles on the cake.

 

After the last candle was blown out and Louis was half asleep on the couch, Harry crept into the garage, cooing as he found the puppy asleep.

‘C’mon pup,’ he said softly, picking him up and stroking his ears. ‘Come and meet your other Daddy’.

Louis opened his eyes when Harry came back in, eyelids heavy. ‘What…?’

‘Surprise!’ Harry held the puppy up, who wriggled delightedly upon seeing Louis. Harry couldn’t blame him really.

Louis’ whole face softened as he came towards them.

‘C’mere boy,’ he murmured, looking at Harry who nodded. ‘Aren’t you just the cutest little darling?’ Louis took the puppy from Harry’s arms, giving Harry a kiss before cuddling the puppy up close. ‘Oh I love him Haz’.

Harry almost felt like crying, the puppy was trying to lick Louis’ face and Louis was giggling. He would remember this moment forever.

‘Can I name him?’ Louis asked, his blue eyes shining.

Harry shrugged, ‘Sure, I was thinking buttercup’.

‘Buttercup?’ Louis was aghast. ‘No, that’s a name for a baby.’

Harry muttered ‘We are not naming our daughter Buttercup’ under his breath but Louis ignored him.

‘Clifford,’ he announced decisively, ‘a strong name for a brave little lad’.

‘I like it,’ Harry agreed, wrapping an arm around them both.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading my fic :) xx


End file.
